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Sunday, May 13, 2012

Review: To Dance With Kings by Rosalind Laker

I really loved reading this book and hated to say goodbye to it. Now I need another epic read to grab my attention again!

Synopsis: Spanning 1664 and the court of King Louis XIV to the fall of Marie Antoinette and the entire royal court at Versailles, To Dance With Kings is an epic story of a family of mothers and daughters that cross the generations. From the depths of poverty to the heights of court intrigue, we follow the lives of these women through the ups and downs of love and family to the tragic end of Versailles and the grandeur they once knew.

Review: As far as epic stories go, this story of Versailles at its height of glory was such a great read. Starting with Versailles as nothing more than a hunting lodge, being built and expanded, we come to be attached with the first daughter, Marguerite. Her life unfolds with love and tragedy, followed by her child and so forth. Each generation has its own challenges, loves, and back stories, so each new story just adds more to an already engaged storyline.

I really loved the long, epic sweep of this story. With Versailles and the royal court playing out in the background, the story has this amazing historical element to it that is its own character. If escaping to another time period is one reason we read books like this, then this story really allows you to escape into the glory days of one of the richest royal courts in history. We get to enter the Hall of Mirrors, traipse through the gardens, and visit Paris. What's not to love? In the meantime, there are love stories and families and tragedy. Honestly, this epic tale has a little bit of it all.

Rosalind Laker's writing has a slightly old fashioned feel to it, but captures generations of characters in a way that you genuinely care about each one of them. These main characters are not sugar coated and do have their flaws, which makes their ups and downs feel real and even more engaging. By the end, I hoped for their happiness and well being into the future--which is why I wish we had a follow up to this novel!

*FTC Disclosure: This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

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A full-time English teacher by day, and book blogger by night, I tend to read just about anything. I enjoy reading everything from Young Adult to Ethnic Literature. Beyond reviewing novels, I also review films, and sometimes blab about my own life. For more information, see the "About" link.